I have lot of great things to say for Leia and Case the Baristas! There selections of beers and wines and cocktails is very good and I watched Case and Leigh expertly handle the customers and even knew what the regular order was! All of the Baristas are very nice too. I do not really eat breakfast so I only have the dogs here sometimes but all of the food looks very delicious. I highly suggest you just let Case guess your right order because he seemed to know every time! read more

The noise level was average. I was looking for a place to study but there were a lot of people. The menu is huge and the atmosphere has a hipster vibe. I'll come back to try their drinks. read more

Cafe Stella - Black bean burger! The only vegan option they had on the menu from what I was told. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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still the worst cafe in norfolk. no improvement on customer service despite their broadcast of mistreatment towards, not only their own employees but as well the customers who pay them to keep their business alive. cafe stella may have made it look pretty inside but once you meet their crew you'll feel as if you're not wanted, bothersome and broke from their overpriced items. do better stella. i just wanted a cup of joe, not to feel imposed. read more

I have been here more than a couple times trying to find the right coffee shop while I'm at home for break and this is definitely one of my favorite spots. The vibes and decoration is different but really nice and I could spend my whole day studying out there. Prices are pretty decent and there is a great selection of food when you're hungry! Ive had the Belgian Waffle which came out beautifully and wasn't too sweet! I also got the shakshuka poached eggs that come with a couple pita wedges and was also satisfied. The baristas are super friendly and make good suggestions. read more

Cafe Stella - Shakshuka poached eggs with pita wedges - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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I wanted to like Stella. On paper, there was no reason not to: it was a short walk from most Ghent apartments. It's arguably the most aesthetically engaging coffee shop in the area, filled with charming furnishings and full-length mirrors that reflected the sunlight onto the cool gray walls. Word on the street was, they brewed their own coffee and could add lavender to your latte. It sounded terribly enchanting. So I went with my best gay, who was equally enthralled about trying it. "If I have a coffee shop haunt, it'll up my gay street cred," he nodded, opening the door for me. I ordered a mocha and a scone. The mocha was a little bland, and the scone wasn't bad by any stretch - just sort of forgettable. "These are okay," I shrugged to my best gay. "This latte is 78% foam!" my best gay countered, trying his hardest to be Mario Cantone and succeeding. "I could get more flavor sucking the business end of a Shark steam vacuum!" While I wasn't as adamant about the ick-quality as my best gay, I left that day feeling sort of "meh" about the place. Secretly, I thought maybe I was missing something, that perhaps I wasn't a serious enough coffee-drinker to understand the excellence of their roasted beans, and would be banished to the Seventh Circle of Coffee Hell (which was located conveniently at the 7-11 brew station on Colonial Avenue) for my insolence. Then, two fateful days ago, I realized it wasn't me. I met a girl who had just moved to the area, and asked me on a lady-date to have coffee. She told me how shy she felt moving to the area, how it is was to meet people, how she felt sort of lonely and cruddy. She also told me she'd walked past a little coffee shop called Cafe Stella and thought it was just beautiful - would I like to go with her? So I agreed to meet her there. We met up, and all the while waiting to order, I'm telling her what a nice town this is, how Ghent is a cool neighborhood and how nice the people are, how she's going to love living here. While we're chatting, I recognized the man working the counter as the owner. He seemed a little hurried, but if you've ever worked food service, you know it can be a challenge manning a counter yourself. My companion asks whether he can make some kind of Chai contraption she'd had at her old neighborhood coffee place. "Yeah, yeah, sure, sure," he says, nodding. He starts mixing something up, then hands it to her. "Oh, I...is there any way you can blend this?" she asks. "They used to just put it in the - " "We don't have a blender," he says bluntly. "We like this to be a grown-up coffee shop." WELP. My companion visibly reddened. So much for the Ghent friendliness I'd bragged about. Turns out we're all condescending jerks, new person! Enjoy your residency here! Looking back, I wish I had said something in her defense, but in that moment, I was so surprised that anyone would speak that way - not just to a customer, but a human being - that we quietly paid for our coffees and sat down. So then I realized why I didn't like the coffee there - it was flavored with churlish self-importance (okay, in fairness, I think it was probably just the blandness and the foam). Cafe Stella, it matters how you treat people - all people, whether they fit into your idea of what a coffee drinker should be and what people should like. No one - NOT EVEN PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO MATCHBOX TWENTY, which is super hard for me to say - deserves to be embarrassed for their tastes. You don't have what they like? Tell them so. Politely. You could even suggest an alternative they might like, if you're not busy. Then move on. I know I have - right down to the Colonial Avenue 7-11, where the coffee may not be fancy, but you get your choice of non-dairy creamer and the clerks always tell you to have a nice day. Not bad for the Seventh Circle of Coffee Hell. No matter how much you think your product is worth, when you sacrifice someone's dignity to make a point of your superiority, whatever you're charging to sling out a latte, is, quite simply, too high. I know several 7-11 employees who would agree. read more

I had forgotten about this place until my wife pointed me to Laura W's "dead-on balls" accurate review. After my previous 4-star review, the owner decided to send me some emails that quickly betrayed his misanthropic ideals. I mistakenly took the owner's caustic behavior as a misguided attempt at banter with his customers, but then I realized through his messages and another review he wrote of another venue that he didn't have so much an acerbic wit but rather a vitriolic disposition to the core. So much hope; so much disappointment to see a possibly cool venue get bungled by an owner who apparently doesn't watch Seinfeld and took offense to my asking if he was striving to be the coffee-version of the Soup Nazi. In a nutshell, he wound up explicitly stating that it was probably better if I never returned. No problema, señor... the coffee wasn't that great. Best of luck to all who darken this door. read more

Browse other reviews and you might see complaints of unfriendly customer service trending. I don't leave scathing reviews, so I won't write a lot. On my second visit to Cafe Stella for a pick-me-up coffee after some great Cogan's Pizza, I had my night ruined by VERY overtly rude staff. Unbelievably rude. And the coffee is actually damn decent. Shame. read more

4 months ago, I rated this place based on the Coffee I had. Coffee Rating: 1 Star (Details on my previous post) Today, I'm rating it for their Customer Service. I woke up to a msg in my Facebook Chat...yep Facebook!! The owner actually tracked me DOWN NSA style to make sure everything is "ok"...here is the msg: "So, you came to my place and hated my coffee? What kind of coffee do you drink? What cafe? Have you ever tried a high end brews? By the way, customer with balls would ask for a new drink or a different brew. Why would you hide behind the keyboard? How do you want to make a world a better place being scared? Not sure if you know, coffee is like wine, it comes with different flavores. We normally have, 4-5 different brews available. You said, you waited 10 mins for your coffee? It usually takes 2, after 10 minutes your coffee would have been cold. Mariusz" Well, I guess the Customer Service is as bad as the Coffee. He was probably in a bad mood after drinking his own Coffee :) UPDATE: 3/24/2015 After posting my followup regarding their "Customer Service" (See above) I got a new message the same day from the owner on Facebook Chat that reads as follow: "Youssef, you are the only review who hates my coffee, are you sure it is the coffee? Maybe you're just a guy who needs attention Again, why didn't you talk to anyone when you came here? Again, what coffee did you drink? One more thing, I asked everybody if they remember seeing you-you know to improve. Nobody remember you, one common denominator with yelpers-haters.. Isn't this something ?" After reading more Reviews about this business, I learned that I wasn't the only one who got harassed via Facebook. Other reviewers who expressed their opinion based on their experience and gave this place a bad review, got harassed as well. The owner obviously seems to have a temper and doesn't take criticism very well. Way to go to attract customers!! read more

After ridiculous comments, yes more than one, by the owner(s), possibly staff, to myself and at least one another Yelper who didn't give this place a great review (and probably anyone else who has anything remotely bad to say about it) I'm lowering my review to 1 Star. I was caught between a 2 and 3 Star rating before (see: Initial Review below) but the Inability to respect a customers opinion without attacking them is something a customer service orientated business should be able to do but apparently not at Cafe Stella. For those interested in frequenting Cafe Stella I recommend you read the reviews from Yelpers with more than 10 reviews under their belt. The more reviews usually the better. I know when I started Yelping I was a little more generous on the 4 and 5 Stars than perhaps I should've been. Regardless, stop by Cafe Stella and Yelp a review. I could be completely wrong, which wouldn't be the first time nor the last in my life, lol. As I stated before I plan on going back only this time with a few friends who are unfamiliar with Yelping and let them tell me what they thought of the place, after we leave. I want to see if (1) I was being too harsh or (2) confirm my first Yelp was it a reflection of reality. Until then I welcome the Trollish comments from owner(s). It makes us all smile to see your reading what's written. That's the first step to change. If you're not listening (or in this case reading) how else are you going to receive customer feedback. See you soon. -Initial Review- A good 2- 3 Star coffee shop with a great location and dedicated college fan base. Location/Ambiance: Cafe Stella is well located on a not so busy street nestled between a short row of stores. The small outdoor seating area allows patrons to sit outside and take up the sun. However, the seating isn't situated well and the table choices take up too much room so they're not making efficient use of this space. To bad because it is a delightful area. Inside the eclectic look blends well with the large interior. There's plenty of room to hang out and surf the web, which was about what 1/2 of the customers were doing in the front/main area of the cafe or in a hidden cove found just past the restrooms. I really enjoyed how the mix match of furniture allows for easy movement of tables and chairs to accommodate a group of friends coming in to meet up. Service: Courteous but I kinda felt like I was speaking to my teenage daughter in that the person behind the counter seemed more concerned about other things than giving her full attention to the customer. In short she was polite but not really paying attention or caring too much about the outside world. I guess it's not really anything bad per se but I just didn't feel as welcome as I would've hoped considering all 4 and 5 Star reviews. Coffee/Pastry: Good. I know it's home ground but that alone didn't make my cup any better than an average Cup-of-Joe I can find at a number of coffee shops. The pastry, was also a little on the stale side...but good. Really not much else to say as I only tried those two items. Cleanliness: Again about a 3 Star. Clean where it needed to be, the food and coffee area, counters and bathrooms but all the nicknacks and furniture could've used a dusting and the concrete floors needed a mopping. Overall: Great location to use the internet and gather while enjoying an average coffee and danish. I kinda felt the location, free enet and cool vibe is why so many come here but I'm probably wrong about that, maybe not?...In any case I may stop by again but only if the opportunity presents itself. Although I'm not a fan of chain restaurants/coffee shops I'll probably go to the nearby Panera or Starbucks next time I'm in the AO only because what makes my Morning Joe the most enjoyable is the welcoming feeling of the shop and its employees. Call me old fashioned...or maybe just old, lol, but I give Stella 2.5 Stars and this day I'm rounding down. No worries Cafe Stella you've got enough dedicated clientele you'll do just fine. read more

12/8: Further update: The owner has left yet another rude post on my husband's professional website. He has made it clear that he's monitoring the site in hopes of seeing a response. This person is beginning to scare me. Updating to note that the owner apparently has nothing better to do with his time than troll Yelp reviews to abuse anyone who didn't like something. I might have gone back and had the tea or hot chocolate if ever my group of friends wanted to go there again, but now I will refuse to spend any more money there. The owner has the nerve to tell anyone who doesn't like something that they're just not "grown up." Perhaps he needs to grow up and learn how to accept criticism and believe that his employees are capable of screwing up before telling anyone else to grow up. For the record, I drink an awful lot of coffee, unsweetened and strong, and it does not make me not-grown-up to say that a cup of coffee at his establishment was bad. Updating again to note that since writing the above, the owner of Cafe Stella has also taken the trouble to find my husband's and my business website and leave rude comments there, and he most certainly has never been a customer. read more

Still don't love Cafe Stella - the food can be good, drinks usually sub-par, and service inconsistent at best. There are better (also independent) places to spend your money. The recent drama over on-line reviews seals my decision. I'm voting with my feet! read more

At this point I don't think you can find anyone in Norfolk who'd be like WHODEY? Juices, Beer & Wine, T-Shirts, Lego night, Jazz. The Stellasphere is mighty. People be goin ham on some Stellas. Place so packed I could skip rocks off beats headphones. Parking like Beyonce in town. But you know what, I aint mad. I like seeing everyone doing their own thing while I run my scripted coffe_stel.bat and roll, cause let's face it, I'm still just in this for the coffee. Yall can have the cake pops. Old lady chilling in the corner playing some SIMS digging into a scone. Homeboy stretched out infront of like an IBM thinkpad with a mechanical keyboard going CLACKCLACLAKCLACKCLACK. The secret group in the back actin like they off the grid, I see you. The dwindling smokers on the patio. You aint smoking them clove smokes at the coffee shop no more uh uh... the struggle is real. But that's cool though, keepin the scene alive. This dude got metal in his NECK, like he aint wearing it, it's wearing HIM, playin some StarWars risk... For real tho, where you gonna see all that in like 2 minutes. Hardees? The coffee is still on point. read more

I have been here twice, because I forgot about my experience the first time. Each time I order the same thing and each time I was disappointed. The grits, I guess they were grits, they said they were grits, I mean I'm a southerner so... I know grits. They were just water and grits swirled around in the bowl. The egg was fine, the sausage was fine, but again.... the grits. I honestly don't wish to return and that's sad bc it's a cute little spot. But I need grits in the morning lol read more

Cafe Stella - And it looked like it would've been good - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Made the most simple order in a coffee shop. Plain fresh brewed coffee. The lady behind the counter couldn't even do that right. I asked her what was the coffee they offered, she was clueless. After I realized that this was a lost cause, I just grabbed the coffee, added sugar and cream, tasted.... Yuck! Needless to say, as much as I hate Starbucks, their burned coffee taste better. Just do yourself a favor and try other local coffee houses in Ghent. read more

Service can take a hit at any time, so watch out for what you have ordered. I have been here a few times, and as for ingredients and quality of food, I will give it a 3 star rating, as there are some decent flavors, OK quality ingredients, but a complete mismatch regarding how much you pay, versus the portion size and quality of final product. The breakfast tacos are worth looking at, but I would also say that Luna Maya is right around the corner, so why not try them. The last time I was at Cafe Stella, I was looking for a quick bite, along with a coffee. The staff seemed receptive to my order during my order, but then they didn't deliver. If you say that you have a Brazilian coffee, and you give me a normal drip coffee, that's misadvertising, and basically stealing the money that I paid for a different product. If you can't hear that I ordered an item, but charge me for those items and don't provide a receipt, this further diminshes my trust in your eatery. The service here is spotty and inconsistent. On a regular evening, when things get busy, there is no consistency in service, and there is overcompensation for shitty service. Who wants OK food to make up for shitty service? If you care about your money and quality of dining experience, beware. read more

There is nothing like the smell of fresh roasted coffee beans. It smells like everything good and happy in the world shoved into your nostrils by fat cherubs. It makes me smile. But it does get a little hot in there during the summer, especially in the middle of the day while they're roasting the beans. I started sweating like a pig as I walked by the bean roaster. But it mattered not, since I had naked angels sticking happy thoughts in my nose the entire time. I would love to capture the smell and carry it with me all day. I could pull it out from time to time like a nosegay and be reminded of nothing but happy, happy, happy. Oh yeah, the drinks here are delicious. read more

I've been a couple times. Nice little set up. Very spacious. Lots of people coming in and out. It's a good place to go to work away on your laptop or hang out to read a book/magazine. I've had a cup of coffee on both visits. I would say that what I had was A-OK. I do like that they open late... a big plus. Nice neighborhood feel. read more

This place was an utter disappointment. Chic boutique downtown prices, for barely dressed up basics. You could recreate the food here in your own kitchen if you knew how to use a microwave and chop things. The outside of the cafe looks dingy/unkempt, but maybe in a charming sense, and the inside looks... darker and dingier. Not to mention that it is also absolutely frigid from the AC, even on an already cool day, so that it feels like sitting inside a freezer. Seating was a nightmare--these were the absolute worst chairs. Like adult sized versions of the back-breaking, hardened plastic elementary school chairs. Which were also visibly worn and dirty, and their menu board was so smeared/eroded it was nearly impossible to read what was listed. There looked to be two more comfortable seating options (the picnic bench with no back support was also uncomfortable) right by the window, but they did not go unoccupied for even enough time to cool between people snatching them up. The most important component to a cafe should be the coffee.. and the coffee here was terrible. The double cappuccino was luke warm/cool, and mostly milk (I could barely taste the coffee), in a terrible narrow mug. The other coffees were watered down, tiny, and bland as well. When our food order was brought out, the cutlery (not even wrapped in napkins) was dropped directly onto a completely dirty wooden table (that still had visible crumbs and specks of dirt in the wood grain-- let alone that it wasn't sealed wood, or food service safe in any sense). The food itself was about on par with the coffee. The 'waffles' were essentially (and quite possibly even literally) cut up Eggos. Well, 'Eggo'-- you only got one one of them (sectioned into four flat sections to make it look like more), with a single piece of fruit and bitter nutbutter to try and cover the taste of the cardboard Eggo. The quinoa fruit bowl was 95% quinoa, with barely a couple of pieces of fruit. It also featured a giant dollop of salty unsweetened peanut butter, and a teaspoon of honey. It was also barely warm, and seemed like someone took cold quinoa, mixed it with watery almond milk, and heated it in the microwave before adding things. Any other supposed toppings were garnish, and I don't think I quite found them in the dish. It was edible, but barely. read more

I really wasn't sure what to think reading the other reviews, but I was in town visiting family and so we went. Nervously I approached the counter, wondering if the positive or negative comments would be correct. I actually had a great experience. The owner and the clerk were really helpful and answered my questions, helping me decide which to choose. I chose the black coffee and my husband actually had a cider. I was there with three other people who got food. First, I am big on decor and the decor was airy and open. The women's bathroom was actually great too. I wish I had tried the food but I stuck to the coffee. Now I like coffee with my cream and sugar but the owner suggested I just try it dark first. WHAT? It was awesome! Not too bitter or harsh. I always find that black coffee has this harsh note to it so I add cream and then sugar and then some more cream.....its like a science, or maybe more like an art since it is so subjective. Anyway, I really liked the coffee and wish that this shop was not half way across the country from my home. Now I'm not saying anything negative about the negative reviews, maybe I was just really lucky but I had a very good experience and would recommend you take a gamble and try them out. Then report back here :) read more

The girl making the coffee kept forgetting the drinks and was rather rude. The cashier was nice, though. My juice took a good 15min to make... why? I have no idea bc it was the tiniest juice and it was made with a juicer. My dad ordered a cappuccino and a biscotti and the barista girl very dryly asked "any flavors?" So my dad said pistachio thinking she meant the biscotti, to which this wench responded with an annoyed sigh and a quick "I have nothing pistachio right now". The cashier clarified the order for her but she asked another 3 times about the cappuccino. I cannot understand why, since a cappuccino is the easiest drink you can ask for. Also, she took forever to make it. I just generally felt unwelcome by the staff, particularly this girl. I'm sorry my dad and I aren't hipster enough for your cafe, but no need to be so rude. read more

Anytime my wife and I go to Norfolk for a movie or a show, we always make it a point to stop in at Cafe Stella for coffee and something to nibble on to fortify us through until dinner. My wife always gets a latte but I prefer just their brewed coffee. It is mind-boggling cheap and in my opinion the best coffee in town. You can tell they take a lot of pride in what they do as the owner will be happy to describe how he selects his beans and his roasting process. Their is real passion in this product and it is what makes small, independent businesses like this standout from their corporate competition. All of their baked goods are scrumptious and made in house as well. The blueberry muffins and cinnamon rolls should be on your "must try" list. The only downcheck here tends to be a lack of seating. Normally this wouldn't be a problem and you can tell the owners decorated with a certain ambiance of an uncluttered, open space in mind. However, when you offer delicious coffee and goodies, along with free Wi-Fi, you end up attracting a lot of cheapster hipster sockheads who are famous for nursing one small cup of coffee or tea for hours while they twitter away on their laptops. The available butt space fills up quickly and stays filled. Also, the last time I was in and got my cuppa joe, I turned the mug around only to be greeted with a glunky schmear of coral lipstick (soooooo not my color!) Normally this would skeeze me right out but I simply brought it to the owners attention and he said that if I did not mind waiting a few minutes, he would brew me up a fresh pot and bring it to me. I didn't mind at all and I think his reflexive commitment to customer service actually made the coffee taste even better. Me like Cafe Stella. read more

This is obviously a hip place to hang out. I met some friends here and it was jam packed on a Sunday afternoon. I was not blown away by my iced coffee, but it was good. The place was a bit trashed, but I can contribute that to the small staff to overwhelming customer ratio. That being said, folks need to keep TP in the ladies room. I don't appreciate having to shake and shuffle for a rough ol' paper-towel from the sink. I would like to come back here and give it a shot on a less mad day. read more

I'm glad that there is finally a great coffee shop in Ghent! The coffee is roasted on site, the employees are friendly and the cappuccinos are just right. You can buy a tin of coffee beans for around $12 - 13 and when you bring it back in to refill they'll give you a dollar off and a free coffee! I've tried about 4 varieties and they'll all been very good and noticeably distinct. I recommend bringing a tin home on your next visit! I also here there is going to be outdoor seating soon. read more

I really want to like this place. However, I've been 3-4 times and each time the service has been absolutely awful. Really, really awful. The baristas were nice enough but so, SO slow. At first I thought maybe they were still learning, but it never got better! The coffee is really good, but I'm very hesitant to return simply because it is such a time commitment! read more

I am a coffee and tea house addict, I will own it. Every town I travel in, I try to visit the most highly recommended spots. I will say that Stella ranks in my top 5 from all around the country. It's artsy and eclectic ambiance makes it all the more inviting. The fact that they serve up some wicked good eats makes it even better! All of Stella's employees are down-to-earth baristas and with great personalities. They make you feel like you're right at home. Love the full bookshelves, collection of games and the multitude of photographs, artwork and antiques (all for sale )! Their hot and iced coffee is on point and Stella has many of their own unique cafe creations. Wide range of teas to choose from, as well. I recommend you check it out the next time you're in the Ghent section of Norfolk, VA. Follow it up by a visit next door at Cogan's, a local favorite pizza joint! read more

The honeymoon is over, unfortunately. Customer service has slipped a bit since even two months ago. Coffee has, for the most part, been good, although I am not seeing as many varieties to buy and the last can I bought was stale. Yesterday I stopped in for an iced coffee - usually a good experience - got mine, drove away, sipped the coffee and almost had an accident. Worst coffee I've ever had anywhere. I haven't given up but if this happens a second time I might. I was too busy to come back and complain. read more

Splendid little nook by owners Mariusz and Stella. Excellent customer service! Best coffee hands down in Norfolk. They roast their own coffee and make their own pastries! read more

Huge selection of foods and drinks. They serve wine and coffee. I like the ambience of the place, as it reminds me of a more rustic cafe and brewery establishment. Staff are good, the baristas can make a mean cup of cappuccino and are knowledgeable with their menu. The coffee is on point. I mean it's not gourmet coffee but it definitely is one step better than fraqnchise coffee places. The food is meh. They have glutten free and vegetarian as well as vegan food. But their servings are very miniscule, which somewhat is not proportional with their price range read more

Stopped by on a Sunday morning for brunch, but was very disappointed. Very creative variety of food, but the portions were terribly small for the price. Expect a long wait for brunch times! Everything was delicious, but we all left hungry, wanting more. :( read more

Today was the first time we stopped here. Very good coffee and breakfast meals were delicious! The portions could have been a little larger for the price. Excellent service taking our order. People were very friendly. Great spot for breakfast. One thing I will do next time is to leave a smaller tip. Yes, someone took our order and the meal was brought out to us. No one checked to see how we were doing and we had to clean our table. read more

Having lived in norfolk for some time, ive been to pretty much every cafe and coffee roaster in town. For what you get, quality and quantity, you're much better off going to any of the other places than here. Arguably, the only decent food item is from an outside bakery. And of course, their coffee has a nice burnt off taste. Not to mention I've seen the owners ask people to leave saying their table is reserved, and after they leave, no one shows up at all. Go anywhere else read more

What a great little coffee shop! It's located a stone's throw from where I went to high school, and boy, would I have loved having it there back in the day. I definitely would have been a regular. My mom and I popped in for some coffee after a hot yoga class last Saturday, and I rather liked the vibe of the café. It's a pretty open space, with a somewhat industrial look, and I believe they even sell some kitchen items and housewares towards the back. I didn't get a good look because my mom and I were too busy chatting, but from my few glimpses, the retail section looked pretty intriguing. My coffee was solid, which is the most important thing, and I'd certainly go back again on my next visit home. I also wouldn't mind chilling out with a cup of jo and a book (or a friend) next time. read more

Disclaimer: I am what you'd call a regular at Cafe Stella. I am coming at this review from a place of affection, so my review is unquestionably biased. That said, the reasons I am biased will be evident in the review, and I think those reasons themselves are the very thing that makes Cafe Stella such a wonderful place. This is actually my second review-- my first was written several years ago, when they opened. I was one of the first to review it, actually. Many things have continued to improve upon my original 5 star review. Mariusz, the often grouchy Polish dictator with a heart of gold, has only increased his coffee roasting skills, tailoring each roast for each bean. Just don't mention the competition, or he might go full coffee nazi on you. But it's not mean, it comes from his unquenchable passion to keep working-- never stop making the smallest incremental changes that always improve his process. Stella's kitchen has continued to grow and produce innovative but pure cafe food-- something I still don't see anywhere else in this area. Like her husband, she has an obsession for detail, and that's visible not only in her food, always striving for perfect balance, but also in the always-evolving interior. It's easy to take the setting for granted, but the thing that makes that space so special is clearly the work that she has put into providing such a warm environment. There really is nothing else like it in Hampton Roads, and I've lived here for 28 years now. Their passion and insane hard work-- They both seem to live there!-- create a tornado of energy that is at the nucleus of the Norfolk creative scene. That passion sometimes comes to life as if they are storybook characters, bickering in front of the customers. That makes some people and presumably employees uncomfortable I'd imagine, but not me. I hope they remember to be kind to each other, too. I think they do. I feed off that energy, and I think many others do too. I think that's that "special something" that transcends others most valiant attempts to copy what they are doing. They have brought a cultural anchor to an area that so desperately needs it, and I believe the recent rebirth seen on Granby north of Brambleton is largely due to the advent of the coming of Cafe Stella, and the conversations launched from their warm interior. The truth is, Cafe Stella helped change my life. The energy, the community, and obviously the microroasted coffee and edible delights supported me in the most difficult times. I have such nostalgia for the place and the people who work and visit that it's nearly offensive to be writing a review for them. But I feel like I must; I can't help myself, I'm just that grateful to have them in this community. Life is messy-- I've learned that lesson so well these past 3 years-- but it is also beautiful, and that is on display every day at Cafe Stella-- A sublime disorder that somehow works to perfection. That obsessive dedication to growth, to trying, to craft, to talking, to feeling... to living. The food and drink is an extension of that-- not the other way around in my opinion. read more

This place used to be amazing! My wife and I would come here a few times a week. Last summer we moved away, but being in town this weekend we wanted to come in for some of their delicious coffee and food. We placed our order and got no eye contact from barista. The second lady called out my coffee order when it was ready and I said "thanks," with a smile and I received a "uh-huh." Again, no eye contact. Not only were they completely rude, my wife was sitting on one of the window seats with her legs crossed and the first barista came over and yelled at her to put her feet down. Anyone can complain about bad service, that's not the issue here. Everyone has a bad day. But we are here on a Sunday morning at 9 and there are only 3 other people here. There's no reason for the service, or lack thereof. read more

love, love Stella's, the selections are sensational, the service is friendly, we are so lucky to have them in our neighborhood

There is no other place in the Hampton Roads that makes me feel like home away from home. This little mom and pop coffee shop has the perfect triad of quality coffee, customer service, and atmosphere. When I step into Stella, I'm transported back to a coffee shop in Berkeley or SF. Like a woman, it's not just about the looks it's about the feel too. The staff is friendly, but when the owners are around to serve you they definitely take care of their customers. Can't say that about many of the places in Norfolk (i.e. S-bux). They roast their own beans and quality is not spared. Every cup of coffee I've drank has had a great bouquet of aroma and full of flavor. Great atmospheres and tasty pastries are to be had here as well. read more

Everyone has their favorite Ghent coffee shop. I live within walking distance to a certain coffee shop in Freemason but actually bypass it for Stella. Yes, Stella is full of hipsters and wifi surfers but what coffee shop isn't? The things I really like here are the scones and pastries. I really like the scones here. I usually order a tea though and if I do get a coffee, I opt for cafe au lait. The seating can be weird I guess (I saw some other gripes about seating in other reviews) but there is also a section in the back with more seating if you can't find a space. Parking is not that bad either unless you are used to strip malls and parking lots. But if that is the case, then why are you cruising Ghent? Overall, I like Stella more than the other coffee spots that are within a couple of mile radius by far. Service depends on who is serving you, but I can say I have never had a bad service experience here, maybe a little indifferent to your existence but efficient if that makes sense. read more

If Anthropologie and a coffee shop were to have a child, this would be it. Cafe Stella is a great change from Starbucks, with their cool decor and complimentary pitchers of cucumber infused water (I said it.) I opted for a cold pressed iced coffee. They scored points off the bat by, along with the standard regular sugar and creamer, offering syrup as well. (personal pet peeve- using granulated sugar to sweeten an iced beverage. never successful. never.) My friend got an iced mocha, which was delicious. We heard someone behind us order a lavender iced mocha, which sounds weird but good and I am determined to try that next time. We set up shop for a few hours on our laptops before succumbing to the pastry case. We tried the apricot and ginger/lemon scones. Maybe it was because we were starving, but they were awesome. Overall, they get 5 stars for food and ambiance, lose a star for price, but then get one back for having a kind of adorable barista. read more

This coffee shop reminds me of the amazing places I tried while living is Seattle, WA. The atmosphere and vibe are exactly what I look for in a coffee shop. The coffee is the best I have had in Virginia. It is superb! The owners are super nice. The owner's wife makes most of the delicious goodies. Delicious food! One of my favorite things is the free live music they have. We love to come listen to the Jazz duo Dudzienski/Beckner Duo! Worth our trip out to Norfolk. It is romantic and perfect for a nice date night. Looking forward to going back for a relaxing evening of coffee and Jazz. read more

Incredible local coffee roaster with service. Great espresso based drinks, as in high-quality coffee, not the typical East coast sugary cover-up. Great fritata's, banana bread and hibiscus tea (NO sugar!!!) as well. Trying to figure out how to open a high-end coffee shop that even a Seattleite would love? Visit this place, please, the East Coast needs more places like this. Tip, open one of these in the right place in DC and make a mint! read more